Jason Day will play with 36-hole co-leaders Kevin Kisner and Hideki Matsuyama, but plenty of golfers are on the course looking to take the lead.
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Todd’s incredible hot streak continued with a 62 Saturday at the RSM Classic, giving him the lead by two shots going into Sunday’s final round.
Qualifiers: Rick Lamb, Bryson Nimmer, Michael Balcar, Brian Davis The qualifier for the Corales Puntacana Championship ended in a 6-for-1 playoff at the International Links of Miami on March 7. Two-time DP World Tour winner Brian Davis, who finished T6 at the 2003 Open Championship, was the playoff victor and will make his 374th PGA TOUR start this week at Corales Golf Course in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Rick Lamb, Michael Balcar and Bryson Nimmer shared medalist honors at 4-under 67. Lamb, who finished T30 at The Honda Classic after Monday qualifying for the event, had six circles on his scorecard including a clutch birdie on the 17th hole. The odds were stacked against Balcar after playing the front nine at 1-over which included a nasty double bogey on the par-4 sixth hole. “I stayed focused on taking one shot at a time,” Balcar told PGA TOUR Digital. You never know what can happen. Standing on the 10th tee, I told myself I was still in it.” Balcar’s positive self-talk paid dividends. After making the turn in troubled water, he went on a five-hole birdie run from holes 12-16 to qualify for his first PGA TOUR event. It’s phenomenal timing for the 29-year-old Cleveland State alum, who took a job as an assistant club professional at Brandywine Country Club in Toledo, Ohio once the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the United States. He worked 40 hours a week while traveling to impromptu TOUR RED events in Chicago and Ohio to keep his dream alive. Justin Crotin, Balcar’s caddie and best friend, played an essential role in helping Balcar handle stressful weeks of balancing work and professional golf. Balcar would drive from Toledo to Cleveland to pick up Crotin, and the pair would drive to Chicago for a TOUR RED event contested on a Tuesday. “He would help me drive so I could rest and be able to go to work on Wednesday,” Balcar said. “Shout-out to Matt Urban, the director of golf at Brandywine Country Club for allowing me to take Mondays and Tuesdays off when we didn’t have an event to work those days.” TOUR RED was an improvised professional tour created to provide convenient and affordable opportunities with decent payouts during the pandemic. Balcar finished first on TOUR RED’s end-of-season money list. It had been more than two years since Balcar finished third at the 2018 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Qualifying Tournament, shooting 10-under 62 in the final round to secure his card for the season. He carried a heavy heart that week as it was his first competition since his grandfather’s passing. He did not retain his card for the 2019 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica season and has since been playing on various mini-tours, Ohio PGA section events, and Korn Ferry Tour qualifiers. He feels like he took his game to the next level during his successful stretch on TOUR RED. Balcar credits his new swing coach Patrick Foppe and Orlando-based hypnotherapist Rebecca Zayas for the improvements in his game. “It’s been a long process and it’s taken a village of people to help me get to this point,” Balcar said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for the people in my life supporting me.” QUALIFIERS Rick Lamb (4-under 67) Age: 31 College: University of Tennessee Turned pro: 2014 PGA TOUR starts: 31 Cuts made: 11 Notes: Will make his second start of the 2021-22 PGA TOUR season … Finished T30 after Monday qualifying for The Honda Classic … Currently holds past champion status on the Korn Ferry Tour … Career-changing victory came at the 2016 LECOM Health Challenge after Monday qualifying into event … Played on PGA TOUR in 2016-17 and 2017-18, with best result coming at the 2017 John Deere Classic (T3) … Best finish on the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour was T8 at the Wichita Open … Finished 46th at the 2021 U.S. Open … Won 2015 Florida Championship on the West Florida Tour … Was an All-American in 2013 for the University of Tennessee … Finished runner-up at the 2013 NCAA Championship as a senior … Stands No. 845 on the Official World Golf Ranking. Michael Balcar (4-under 67) Age: 29 College: Cleveland State University Turned pro: 2016 PGA TOUR starts: 0 Notes: Will make his PGA TOUR debut this week … Finished 10th in the PGA Assistants Championship, third at the Denny Shute Match Play Championship and won the Assistants Championship on the 2021 Northern Ohio PGA circuit … Won two Northern Ohio PGA section tournaments in 2020 … Was Player of the Year and topped the TOUR RED money list … Finished third at the 2018 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Qualifying Tournament in Mexico … Played nine events on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica that year with best finish coming at the Quito Open presented by Diners Club … Played three years of collegiate golf at Cleveland State University … Was named to 2013-14 All-Horizon League first team … Earned same distinction in 2012-13 as a sophomore … Qualified for the 114th U.S. Amateur Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club … Won four events as a senior in high school to earn first team all-district and all-city honors. Bryson Nimmer (4-under 67) Age: 25 College: Clemson University Turned pro: 2019 PGA TOUR starts: 6 Made cuts: 4 Notes: Will make second start of the 2021-22 season … Finished 69th at the Puerto Rico Open … Has played one event on the Korn Ferry Tour this year (missed cut at the LECOM Suncoast Classic) … Played three events on the 2020-21 PGA TOUR, making two cuts … Finished T35 at the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree … Played three events on the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour with best finish coming at the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation … Finished T46 at the 2020 Shell Open on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica … Made five cuts in six starts with two wins on the 2020 LOCALiQ Series (Alpharetta Classic and The Championship at Echelon Golf Club) … Made eight cuts in eight starts on the 2021 Forme Tour, with best finish coming at Auburn University at Jennings Mills Country Club (T3) … Finished T47 at the 2019 Puerto Rico Open … Was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team selection at Clemson… Was ACC Freshman of the Year … Holds 27 different Clemson golf records … Stands No. 810 on the Official World Golf Ranking. Brian Davis (3-under 68; advanced via 6-for-1 playoff) Age: 47 Turned pro: 1994 PGA TOUR starts: 373 Cuts made: 219 Notes: Will make his second of the 2021-22 PGA TOUR season … Played first six seasons of his career on the DP World Tour … Won the 2000 Peugeot Open de Espana … Finished ninth on the 2003 DP World Tour Order of Merit … Best result of the 2003 season came at the Open Championship (T6) … Played on the winning Great Britain and Ireland team at the 2003 Seve Trophy … Second DP World Tour win came at the 2004 ANZ Championship … Became the first Englishman to earn medalist honors at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament in 2004 … Started to focus more on the PGA TOUR in 2006 … Finished inside the top-100 on the FedExCup standings for seven consecutive seasons (2007 to 2013) … Finished second at the 2007 FedEx St. Jude Classic … Had one of his best seasons on the PGA TOUR in 2009, finishing fifth at THE PLAYERS Championship and Valero Texas Open … Finished second at the 2010 RBC Heritage after calling a two-stroke penalty on himself on the first playoff hole against Jim Furyk … Finished T13 at the 2004 PGA Championship… Was ranked as high as No. 45 on the Official World Golf Ranking (2004) … Won the 1992 Peter McEvoy Trophy as an amateur. Notables to miss qualifying: Patrick Flavin (later received sponsor exemption), Jared du Toit, Andres Romero, Zack Sucher, Ben Silverman, Erik Compton, Mickey DeMorat, Nicholas Thompson, Marcelo Rozo, Alejandro Tosti 2021-22 Monday qualifier statistics Top-25s: Martin Contini (T16, The Honda Classic); Grant Hirschman (T17, Sanderson Farms Championship); Patrick Flavin (T17, Butterfield Bermuda Championship); Patrick Flavin (T22, Puerto Rico Open) Best finish: Martin Contini (T16, The Honda Classic) Most times qualified (2): Kyle Wilshire, Ben Silverman, Patrick Flavin, Rick Lamb Last event’s qualifier results (Valspar Championship): Blake Kennedy (72nd), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (T39), Andrew McCain (MC), Luke Guthrie (MC) Next PGA TOUR qualifier (March 28): Valero Texas Open qualifier; The Club at Comanche Trace (Hills/Creek) in Kerrville, Texas
Russell Henley ... If you tuned into PGA TOUR LIVE on Sunday, it was tough to watch him navigate parts of TPC Summerlin in the final round despite a closing 70. If you ever wanted to see someone scuffle to a 70, press the rewind button. (Needing 32 putts after hitting 14 greens has that effect.) That said, his T27 wasn't terribly shabby even though it was his worst showing in his last four starts. Baked into the overall performance was a vintage tee-to-green effort for a guy who's arguably best known as a streaky putter. He finished the 2019-20 season at fifth in green hit, T13 in proximity, 14th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and fifth in scrambling. Corey Conners ... If the 28-year-old Canuck was in your foursome for a scramble, you'd have trouble determining which drive and approach you couldn't use on either nine. That's how special he can be when he's in form. Case in point, in his last start at the Sanderson Farms Championship, he led the field in fairways hit and ranked, T4 in total driving, T21 in GIR and eighth in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. It's precisely the game plan that Shadow Creek demands for its inaugural field. Inconsistent putting trips him up, but with no cut at THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK, he'll have time to get the feel of the greens without pressure to hog scoring opportunities. Jason Kokrak ... Even though he missed the cut on the number at TPC Summerlin, it's tough to find failure in a pair of 68s on that racetrack. Prior to it, he connected four top 20s, punctuating the run with a T17 at the U.S. Open, his personal best in 13 starts in the majors. In his pair of starts during the FedExCup Playoffs, he ranked T5 in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and fourth in adjusted scoring. That's his profile when he's in a groove, so he's matching up with Shadow Creek at the perfect time. Tom Hoge … He's winless and never appeared at Kapalua, and he's never pegged it in a World Golf Championship, so the 31-year-old isn't a regular in limited-field, no-cut invitationals, but this isn't his first rodeo, either. Still, this is just his third career start with the promise of 72 holes. Already 3-for-3 on the season - each payday going for a top 30 - he's painted the boards red in that all 12 of his rounds have been under par. Jae Kyeong Lee ... Along with 18-year-old Joohyung (Tom) Kim, the 20-year-old Lee is making the likes of fellow South Koreans Si Woo Kim (25) and Sungjae Im (22) feel old. Like Joohyung Kim, Lee also already has a victory on the KPGA, his as a 19-year-old in late summer of 2019. He's currently leading his home circuit in scoring and ranks second in greens hit and 11th in putts per GIR. And while cynical American fans might dismiss those analytics, they can't ignore Lee's current form. In his last six starts, he has three runner-up finishes (including a playoff loss) among five top 10s and slots third in Genesis Points. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions.
